Local streets are safer thanks to the efforts of Police Officer John Bolden, named Cop of the Year by the 84th Precinct Community Council last week.
Bolden, who has been on the job since 2005, has spent all of that time in the precinct, which encompasses Brooklyn Heights, Boerum Hill, Vinegar Hill and DUMBO.During his tenure, he’s made 146 arrests — a staggering 72 arrests last year alone.
“We appreciate what you’ve done for us very much,” said Leslie Lewis, the president of the community council. For his “invaluable service” and “steadfast commitment” to precinct, Bolden received warm applause and a plaque inscribed with his name at the group’s Jan. 18 meeting, held inside Borough Hall.
Captain Mark DiPaolo, the commanding officer of the 84th Precinct, noted that Bolden, who works in the precinct’s conditions unit, previously worked with victims of domestic violence, offering a sincere warmth that can’t necessarily be taught in training. “Every time I see John, he smiles,” the captain noted.
In conditions, Bolden deals with an array of quality of life issues. “He’s a prime example of what neighborhood policing is all about,” DiPaolo said. “Bolden sets the standard in this precinct.”
